Letter-box



(No Model.)

W. A. PAUL'SEN. LETTER BOX.

Patented May 7, 1889.

C l Junon/VCO@ l N. PETERS Pnolvumugnpher. wamngton. n, c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM A. PAULSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,855, dated May 7, 1889.

Application filed October 5, 1888. Serial No. 287,280. (No model.) I

I To all whom, it 71mg/ concern.-

Be it known that I, XViLLIAM A. PAULSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mail-Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in receptacles, such as those in common use in the larger cities for collecting mail and my improvement is especiallydesigned for use as a safety-receptacle for mail, though, as will readily be understood from the description hereinafter contained, it may be employed in the same capacity for other articles of value to which it may be desirable to prevent access after deposit inthe receptacle by any one unauthorized to have such access.

The manner of use and operation of my improvement are the sa1ne,whatever the article for the protection of which it may be applicable. Since, however, it may be most conveniently explained in its use as a mail-receptacle, and since the latter is the immediate purpose for which I have invented it, I entitle my improvement as above, and confine the following description to it as a receptacle for mail.

A common manner, especially in thelarger cities, of mailing is to drop the mail-matter into receptacles located at convenient points accessible to the public, and comprising` each a box having a slot through which to insert the mail-matter. The mail is collected periodically from each box, on unlocking and openinga door therein, by raking the contents of the box into a mail-bag. By this proceeding the mail-matter requires to be handled by the collector, who may retain a portion of it, if he be dishonestly inclined, without great probability of detection, and, besides, during the transfer from the mail-box loss is liable to occur, especially in windy weather, by inail-matter being blown away, or if not lost by being taken up by the wind it is at least liable to soiling by being blown into the street, and thus into contact with dirt.

The objects of my improvement, so far at least as it relates to receptacles for mail, are to hinder robbery thereof and render such robbery. or even tampering with the mail by a collector, practicallyimpossible without detection; to facilitate and render safe the collection of mail from the mailing-boxes, and to prevent access to the loose mail-matter while contained in the street or publiclyexposed box.

To these ends my invention consists in the general construction of my improvement; and it also consists in details of construction and combinations of parts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view representing a public inail-box in sectional side elevation and provided with means for preventing withdrawal of the contents by Way of the opening through which they are introduced. Fig. 2 -is a broken sectional view showing the same as is represented in Fig. 1, and, in addition, my improved portable receptacle adjusted into its operative posit-ion within the mail-box. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the chute having a serrated edge at the insertion-opening of the mail-box. Fig. et is a bottom plan view of the automatic locking device for the portable receptacle. Fig. 4 is a sectional View, andFigs. 4b and 4C broken perspective views, of the same, the two perspective views showing it, respectively, in its locked and unlocked condition; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portable receptacle provided with my improved automatic locking device.

A denotes a mail-box of the kind commonly provided at locations (as on lamp-posts) conveniently accessible to the public. In the slot a2, commonly provided to permit the insertion into the box of mail-matter, I insert a chute, a, which may have'its lower edge serrated, substantially as shown, and provided with a flange, af, at which to secure itin place. If desired, the chute a may comprise mere flanges extending obliquely into the box A from the slot ce2 and having the lower one serrated at its edge.

B is the portable receptacle, comprising an ordinary mail-pouch, or a pouch of the form represented, having a cover, c, locked by IOO the cover, at which access is gained toits interior. A hollow neck, h, preferably of sheet metal, 1s provided to be let into the receptacle B at any suitable point, as in an upper edge, as shownin Fig. 5, and the neck is of the shape of the chute a and tits over the latter snugly. A rim, be, may be provided around one edge of the hollow neck, at which to secure it to the receptacle B, as shown. From the opposite end ot the neck extends a shield, d, and the base ot the vneck is provided with a lid, b', hinged along 011e edge by means of asuitable spring-hinge, l, to an edge of the hollow neck I). On the side of theneck opposite that at which the lid b is hinged is a spring-catch having a head, 3, extending beyond a socket, et, containing the leaf-spring with which the head is integral, and into the path of the Alree edge of the lid when being closed, and engaging with it in its closed position to prevent opening thereof. A pivotal stop, 2, may be provided at one lateral edge ot the neck, to be swung over the opening in the neck below the lid when t-he -latter is raised, and thus prevent engagement therewith of the catch 3 by the action ot the spring-hinge l, the tendency of which is to close the lid.

rlhe device is used as follows: The proper oiiicial in the post-otiice receives from the collectors the receptacles B containing collected mail and delivers them, when empty, to the collectors, to be reinserted into the boxes A. lVhen delivered at the post-oiiice, the receptacles are all locked, as usual-that is, by the ordinary locking means referred to-and the openings in the necks h are closed, as hereinafter described. lVhen a receptacle, B, is delivered to a collector to be inserted into a box, A, the passage in the neck Z) is open-that is to say,.the lid Z2 is withheld from engagement with the spring-catch by the interposition oi the pivotal stop 2,the outer en d of which should extend through a slot in the shield d, as shown in Fig. 4, to render it accessible for manipulation from outside the receptacle B; or, if the stop be not provided, the lid b may be prevented from being closed by the resistance of the spring-catch to the spring-hinge 1` ot' the lid, the latter then being weaker than the former. Then in the condition last described, the lid may readily be opened by pressure exerted against it from the interior of the neck l), and this pressure is exerted in the adjustment of a receptacle, B, in a box, A, as follows: A receptacle, B, is introduced into a box, A, on opening the usual door with which the latter is provided, (and to which the collector carries the key,) and the neck Z) is adjusted over the chute a, the chute being somewhat longer than the neck, and in the adjustment consequently impinging at its end against the lid, thus forcing it back Aon its spring-hinge to the position illustrated in Fig. 2, and turning the pivotal stop 2, if provided, back out of the path of the hinged lid.

Vhen thus adjusted, all 1n ail-matter introduced into the opening' a? ot' thebox A enters the receptacle B.

To collect the mail from a box, A, the door is unlocked and opened, as usual, and the receptacle B removed, thereby withdrawing the neck 'b `from the chute a, when the force of: the spring-hinge l snaps the lid down under the spring-catch 3, thereby locking the lid at its inner side within the receptacle, and thus closing theneck I). On removing one receptacle from a mail-box of course another empty one should immediately be adj usted in its place. Thus the mail is collected with great facility, and without requiring it to be handled by the collector, who, besides, cannot gain access to the contents of a receptacle B without tampering with the latter in a manner that would be detected.

The collected portable receptacles are turned in at the post ol'ce, where an authorized official opens them by unlocking the covers c, or otherwise, depending upon the manner of their closing and locking, and when emptied ol' their contents the official inserts his hand into each and forces back the catch 8, at the same time raising the lid l) and turning the pivotal stop 2, if provided, under the latter, when the receptacle is ready to be again adjusted into a box, A, in the manner described.

As shown in Fig. 5, a receptacle, B, is provided with two ot' the self-locking neck de vices-one in each of two opposite edges.

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. ln combination. with a portable receptacle, B, a hollow neck, l), secured to and leading into the receptacle, a spring-lid, h', and an automatic lock for the lid, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a portable 'receptaele, B, a hollow neck, l), secured to and leading into the receptacle, a lid, b', connected with the neck by a spring-hinge, and a springcatch on the neck in position to engage the lid when closed, substantially as described.

3. ln combination with a portable receptacle, B, a hollow neck, l), secured to and leading into the receptacle, a lid, ZJ', connected with the neck `by a spring-hinge, a springcatch on the neck in position to engage the lid when closed, and a pivotal stop, 9, substantially as described.

4t. ln conibination, a stationary or public mail or other receptacle, A, having an internally-flanged inlet-opening or chute, a, and a receptacle, B, having a hollow neck, Z, to tit the chute a, and provided with an automatic lock for closing it, and accessible when in locked condition only from the interior of the receptacle B, substantially described.

"WILLIAM A. PAULSEN.

In presence ot- M. J. BOWERS, J. lV. DYRENFORTH.

IOO

IIO 

